Inchizi?ia spaniol?, poate cea mai temut? institu?ie din istoria omenirii, a fost ?nfiin?at? ?n 1478 de Regii Catolici, Ferdinand ?i Isabella, ?i abolit? abia ?n 1834, odat? cu R?zboaiele Napoleoniene. Spre deosebire de Inchizi?ia medieval? din restul Europei, cea din Spania ?i Portugalia s-a r?sp?ndit ?n coloniile iberice din Asia, Africa ?i America de Sud, ajung?nd s? terorizeze, timp de peste trei secole, nu mai pu?in de patru continente.Care au fost ?ns? motivele ?nfiin??rii ei? De ce provoca at?ta team?? Cine erau victimele torturate ?i arse ?n autodafeuri? Toby Green readuce la via?? aceast? perioad? a istoriei cu ajutorul uria?ei arhive inchizitoriale p?strate ?i prezint? nenum?rate cazuri judecate de Sf?ntul Oficiu, de la arhiepiscopi la oameni obi?nui?i, victime inocente ale unui sistem diabolic. De?i ?nsp?im?nt?toare, aceste pove?ti sunt un exemplu al rezisten?ei spiritului uman ?n fa?a absurdului ?i a r?ului. Toby Green ne dezv?luie mecanismele prin care pot ap?rea persecu?ia ?i teroarea, dar ?i felul ?n care pot fi evitate. Inchizi?ia este un avertisment venit din trecut, o lec?ie a istoriei pentru noi to?i!

Volumul Sublimul tr?d?rii reprezint? o incursiune ?n lumea ?multidimensional?“ a crea?iei teatrale. Convins de existen?a unor straturi rarefiate ale spiritului, ?n care reprezenta?ia a fost h?r?zit? s? existe, autorul se ?ndep?rteaz? de orice interpretare ?vulgar?“, la prima m?n?, a artei scenice. F?c?ndu-se apel la teorii ale esteticii teatrale, dar ?i ale filosofiei, psihanalizei, exegezei ?i criticii literare, ne este relevat un univers artistic complicat, complex, predispus unei analize profunde. Astfel, locul care ?i este destinat spectatorului nu mai este acela de privitor pasiv, ci de partener al actorilor.?Oper?nd alegerea de sine“, spectatorul iese din plasa esteticului nu pentru a-i desfide rostul, ci pentru a se proiecta ?n centrul ac?iunii scenice, ?ntr-un loc ?n care ??i poate afirma prezen?a. Actul ?lecturii“ teatrului implic? ?ndatoriri egale cu cele din spa?iul public, for??ndu-l pe insul aflat ?n sala de spectacol s? faca o eschiva printre imperativele vie?ii, consider?nd interpretarea ca circumscriere concret? ?n ?legea universal?“ a eticului. Doar ?n acest fel, spectatorul poate accepta responsabilit??i legate de ceea ce i se ?nt?mpl?, atent la (?i preocupat de) via?a sa superioar?, spiritual?.“

** Pamella Singh – Miss India 1982… spioan? de pat la NATO ** Frumoasele Miss, prad? u?oar? pentru trafican?ii de stupefiante ** Angela Nichitin – Miss Johannesburg, victim? a traficului de carne vie ** O Miss pentru solda?ii americani din Irak ** Miss Diaspora… uneori important poten?ial pentru spionaj ?i contraspionaj? ** Momeal? pentru pedofili ** Tita Cristescu, fost? Miss Rom?nia, ucis? cu cianur? de potasiu ** Concursurile Miss ?i reginele alese, motiv de scandal ?i crim?? ** Heather Whitestone – Miss America 1994, sub teroarea unui obsedat ** Evreica Lise Goldarbeiter – Miss Univers 1929 a supravie?uit nazismului ** C?teva regine… surpriz? **** Zsa Zsa Gabor – Miss Ungaria 1936. Nou? c?s?torii ?i scandaluri cu duiumul ** Rosemarie Frankland – Miss Univers 1961, ucis? de singur?tate? ** Imelda Marcos – Miss Leyte ?i ?Muza Manilei“ al?turi de un dictator ** Bess Myerson – Miss America 1945, de la politicieni, la mafio?i ** Plou? cu Miss-uri: Nud, Fund Mare, Jumbo ?i mai tr?snite ** Miss Penitenciar sau… Miss Pu?c?rie? ** Zig-zag ?n lumea concursurilor de frumuse?e ?i a concurentelor. Pilule dulciFiecare om, evident, are destinul s?u. Reginele au avut ?i au, ?i ele, firesc, destinul lor. Cele ?ncoronate ?i declarate ca atare datorit? frumuse?ii lor fizice ?i intelectuale sunt, de multe ori, superioare celor n?scute cu s?nge albastru, dar totodat? ele sunt expuse ?i mai mult unor pericole ce le dau t?rcoale. Tenta?iile ce apar des ?i capcanele ce li se ?ntind fostelor Miss sunt de multe ori ?irezistibile“. Din nefericire, unele tinere nu le-au sesizat la timp ?i, treptat, uneori f?r? voia lor, au c?zut ?n plasa unor servicii de spionaj sau a unor re?ele mafiote interna?ionale, implicate ?n traficul cu droguri, armament ?i fiin?e umane. Altele, ?ns?, au avut un destin ?i mai tragic, ajung?nd dup? gratii sau devenind ?inta unor asasinate care au f?cut v?lv? ?n pres?.Au fost ?ns? ?i ?Regine“ fericite. Din p?cate, pu?ine ?i pentru o perioad? scurt? de timp. Nici ?n lumea Miss-urilor n-au fost ?i nu vor fi dou? destine la fel.O carte ce cuprinde un soi de miniromane poli?iste, axate pe soarta, uneori-adeseori, dramatic? a reginelor frumuse?ii.

"Romeo and Juliet" is a tragic play written early in the career of William Shakespeare about two teenage "star-cross'd lovers" whose untimely deaths ultimately unite their feuding households. It was among Shakespeare's most popular plays during his lifetime and, along with Hamlet, is one of his most frequently performed plays. Today, the title characters are regarded as archetypal "young lovers"??PROLOGUE:?Two households, both alike in dignity,?In fair Verona, where we lay our scene,?From ancient grudge break to new mutiny,?Where civil blood makes civil hands unclean.?From forth the fatal loins of these two foes?A pair of star-cross'd lovers take their life;?Whole misadventured piteous overthrows?Do with their death bury their parents' strife.?The fearful passage of their death-mark'd love,?And the continuance of their parents' rage,?Which, but their children's end, nought could remove,?Is now the two hours' traffic of our stage;?The which if you with patient ears attend,?What here shall miss, our toil shall strive to mend.

Societatea deschis? contra societ??ii deschise. Societatea rom?neasc? ?ntre utopie ?i realitate este o carte de analiz? profund? ?i complex?, ce ?i-a ales ca obiect de studiu cea mai important? paradigm? sociopolitic? a postmodernit??ii, ?mpreun? cu realit??ile concrete ce se configureaz? ?n jurul acesteia. O paradigm? care ?i-a propus s? schimbe fa?a lumii, sens ?n care, de mai bine de 25 de ani o putem observa manifest?ndu-se pe multiple coordonate ?i ?n planul realit??ilor sociale ?i politice autohtone, pe care, de altfel, autorul le radiografiaz? extrem de atent, cu ochiul, mintea ?i bagajul de cuno?tin?e proprii specialistului, dar ?i cu sufletul ?i con?tiin?a celui care apar?ine societ??ii rom?ne?ti. Cartea de fa?? este, ?n acela?i timp, ?i despre societatea deschis?, dar ?i despre trecutul, prezentul ?i viitorul prefigurat lumii ?n aceast? paradigm?, c?t ?i despre evolu?ia societ??ii rom?ne?ti ca parte integrant? a acestei lumi. Ea surprinde ?i problematizeaz? o multitudine de aspecte ?in?nd at?t de natura intrinsec? a conceptului de societate deschis?, c?t ?i de schimb?rile pe care implementarea acestui concept ca realitate social? le presupune ?i le antreneaz? ?n societ??ile contemporane. Prin aceasta, ea se recomand? ca o lectur? util?, provocatoare ?i, totodat?, revelatoare tuturor celor preocupa?i de c?mpul ?tiin?elor sociale ?i politice, dar ?i celor interesa?i s? ?n?eleag? ceva ?n plus din sistemul cauzalit??ilor profunde care influen?eaz? mersul lumii, ?n general, ?i al societ??ii rom?ne?ti, ?n particular. (Maria Voinea)

A kaleidoscope of stories about war, displacement, revolution and liberation taking us on an emotional journey across three continents. Based on the actors’ personal and family experiences, the stories interweave and overlap, exploring moments of joy, sadness and laughter set against key historical events over the last hundred years. Poignant, moving, funny, inspiring, this is the first piece of work created by the Visible Ensemble, dedicated to putting older performers and their rich lives centre stage.

In any military operation throughout history, few 24-hour periods have been as crucial as that of 6th June 1944. With the aid of specially commissioned maps, D-Day: The First 24 Hours series gives the dramatic history of the first 24 hours of the Normandy landings, and explains in detail the events that occurred in each landing zone. In this fourth volume of the series, the book describes the British and Canadian landings on Gold, Juno and Sword beaches. The book also includes details of the human cost of the first day, and a full order of battle for both sides. With colour and black & white photographs, the book is a guide to key events in the first 24 hours of the D-Day landings that saw the Allies successfully achieve a foothold in Northern Europe.

A topical collection of new plays by popular UK playwright Nick Wood 'I am not a lone voice, I am many.'?Malala ? Yousafzai A Girl with a Book and?Other Plays ?brings together four plays for young people by acclaimed playwright Nick Wood. Topical and wide-ranging, they concern refugees, friendship, loss and courage. 'You know those sente nces that start I'm not sexist/racist/homophobic and the speaker sticks in the word 'but' and goes on to prove that's exactly what they are?' The title play, ? A Girl with a Book ?is an honest response to the story of Malala Yousafzai, who was shot by the Taliban. Produced many times in Germany and the UK, the play raises serious questions about the West's complex relationship with and attitudes to the Muslim world. 'a journey into empathy and imagination...'?Stephen Lowe Plays Nick Wood's poignant political drama A Girl with a Book is based on the true story of Nobel Peace Prize-Winner Malala Yousafza. In 2012, gunmen stopped a bus in Pakistan and shot three young girls. Their crime? Wanting to go to school. Knowing nothing about the situation, able to offer little more than outrage, the writer is forced out from behind his desk and in the search for answers to help him tell the story of a brave young woman's fight for girls' education, but when his research uncovers attitudes at odds with his liberal convictions he has to face what he learns about himself. Achieving international acclaim after its opening in Hamburg, A Girl with a Book examines Malala's story through a series of questions - Wood asks how a girl who wanted to go to school could become such a target. Bird boy:?Eddie and Tim create their own den up on the Knoll, a secret place for heroes. The only problem is, winter is setting in and Eddie won't come down. As the snow falls, Tim must decide whether to take food to Eddie or betray him by telling the grown ups where he is. Mia:?Mia is a refugee who has lost her home, and most of her family. She has odd bits and pieces in her bag, which have stories attached to them. Mia is searching for her sister, Sofia, can they help? Dream of White Horses: ? ?Paul wants two things - to find out whether his father's death was an accident or not. He climbs the same cliff, to discover what happened to his father, and a great deal about himself. '...invites us to better understand Malala, her father, and her kinsmen.'? On Religion '...a journey into empathy and imagination coolly and cleanly done. A crucially important tale well told with great humanity.' ? Stephen Lowe, playwright '...there's plenty of scope here for schools, colleges and youth theatre groups. The title play... has a cast of one... The remaining three plays use larger casts and explore asylum seeking, friendship, loss and courage.' ?Susan Elkin, The Stage

The first ever comprehensive collection of plays ?in English from Southeast Asia. Features work by eight playwrights from seven countries in Southeast Asia, a region which is experiencing profound change:?Singapore, Vietnam, Malaysia, Thailand, the Philippines, Indonesia and Cambodia.? Southeast Asian Plays ?explores the rich variety of dramatic work that is only beginning to be translated into English. Theatre scripts are merely blueprints for productions, especially in this region. As elsewhere, second productions and revivals are rare, so publication is key to allowing play texts to find a wider international readership. Topics include the global financial crisis, sex workers, traditional v modern values, the role of faith in society, corruption in high places and journalistic ethics. The plays have been selected for performance. Plays: The Plunge by Jean Tay (Singapore) An Evening At the Opera by Floy Quintos (Philippines) Night of the Minotaur by Tew Bunnag (Thailand) Tarap Man by Ann Lee (Malaysia) Dark Rac e by Dang Chuong (Vietnam) Frangipani by Chhon Sina (Cambodia) Picnic by Joned Suryatmoko (Indonesia) Nadirah by Alfian Saat (Singapore) "The editors have done an excellent job of opening up our chances of reading and learning about plays from all over Southeast Asia. ...editorial choices are significant for opening up spaces to voices which are otherwise heard less often. All in all the plays are interesting for the ways in which they grapple with key concerns in their respective societies."? --The Asiatic

Hard Times – For These Times (commonly known as "Hard Times") is the tenth novel by Charles Dickens, first published in 1854. The book appraises English society and highlights the social and economic pressures of the times. Hard Times is unusual in several respects. It is by far the shortest of Dickens' novels, barely a quarter of the length of those written immediately before and after it. Also, unlike all but one of his other novels, Hard Times has neither a preface nor illustrations. Moreover, it is his only novel not to have scenes set in London. Instead the story is set in the fictitious Victorian industrial Coketown, a generic Northern English mill-town, in some ways similar to Manchester, though smaller. Coketown may be partially based on 19th-century Preston. One of Dickens's reasons for writing Hard Times was that sales of his weekly periodical, Household Words, were low, and it was hoped the novel's publication in instalments would boost circulation – as indeed proved to be the case. Since publication it has received a mixed response from critics. Critics such as George Bernard Shaw and Thomas Macaulay have mainly focused on Dickens's treatment of trade unions and his post–Industrial Revolution pessimism regarding the divide between capitalist mill owners and undervalued workers during the Victorian era. F. R. Leavis, a great admirer of the book, included it—but not Dickens' work as a whole—as part of his Great Tradition of English novels. ***‘Now, what I want is, Facts. Teach these boys and girls nothing but Facts. Facts alone are wanted in life. Plant nothing else, and root out everything else. You can only form the minds of reasoning animals upon Facts: nothing else will ever be of any service to them. This is the principle on which I bring up my own children, and this is the principle on which I bring up these children. Stick to Facts, sir!’ ? ?The scene was a plain, bare, monotonous vault of a school-room, and the speaker’s square forefinger emphasized his observations by underscoring every sentence with a line on the schoolmaster’s sleeve. The emphasis was helped by the speaker’s square wall of a forehead, which had his eyebrows for its base, while his eyes found commodious cellarage in two dark caves, overshadowed by the wall. The emphasis was helped by the speaker’s mouth, which was wide, thin, and hard set. The emphasis was helped by the speaker’s voice, which was inflexible, dry, and dictatorial. The emphasis was helped by the speaker’s hair, which bristled on the skirts of his bald head, a plantation of firs to keep the wind from its shining surface, all covered with knobs, like the crust of a plum pie, as if the head had scarcely warehouse-room for the hard facts stored inside. The speaker’s obstinate carriage, square coat, square legs, square shoulders,—nay, his very neckcloth, trained to take him by the throat with an unaccommodating grasp, like a stubborn fact, as it was,—all helped the emphasis. ‘In this life, we want nothing but Facts, sir; nothing but Facts!’The speaker, and the schoolmaster, and the third grown person present, all backed a little, and swept with their eyes the inclined plane of little vessels then and there arranged in order, ready to have imperial gallons of facts poured into them until they were full to the brim.

RUINS OF ANCIENT CITIES, WITH GENERAL AND PARTICULAR ACCOUNTS OF THEIR RISE, FALL, AND PRESENT CONDITION. - BY CHARLES BUCKE This Volume contain these cities;Messene, Mycen?, Miletus, Nauplia, Nemea, Nineveh, The Destruction of Sennacherib, Numantia, Olympia, Puteoli, Palmyra (Tadmor), Patr?, Pella, Pergamus, Persepolis, Petra (Wady Mousa), Phigalia, Plat?a, P?stum, Pompeii, Rama, Rome, Saguntum, Hannibal’s Speech to His Soldiers, Sais, Samaria, Sapphura, Sardis, Seleucia, Selinus, Or Selinuntum, Sicyon, Sidon, Smyrna, Spalatro, Stratonice, Susa, Sybaris, Syene, Syracuse, Thebes, Troja, And Other Cities of the Troas, Tyre, Veii Fallen, fallen, a silent heap; their heroes allSunk in their urns:—Behold the pride of pomp,The throne of nations fallen; obscured in dustEven yet majestical.—The solemn sceneElates the soul! ? ?{DYER} The reader is requested to observe, that, though the plan of this work is entirely his own, the compiler of it does not put it forth as in any way original in respect to language or description. It is, in fact, a much better book, than if it had been what is strictly called original, (which, indeed, must have involved an utter impossibility:) for it is a selection of some of the best materials the British Museum could furnish; sometimes worked up in his own language; and sometimes—and, indeed, very frequently—in that of others: the compiler having, at an humble distance and with unequal steps, followed the plan which M. Rollin proposed to himself, when he composed his celebrated history of ancient times.—"To adorn and enrich my own," says that celebrated writer, "I will be so ingenuous as to confess, that I do not scruple, nor am ashamed, to rifle whereever I come; and that I often do not cite the authors from whom I transcribe, because of the liberty I take to make some slight alterations. I have made the best use in my power of the solid reflections that occur in the Bishop of Meaux's Universal History, which is one of the most beautiful and most useful books in our language. I have also received great assistance from the learned Dean Prideaux's 'Connexion of the Old and New Testament,' in which he has traced and cleared up, in an admirable manner, the particulars relating to ancient history. I shall take the same liberty with whatever comes in my way, that may suit my design, and contribute to its perfection. I am very sensible, that it is not so much for a person's reputation to make use of other men's labours, and that it is in a manner renouncing the name and quality of author. But I am not over-fond of that title, and shall be extremely well pleased, and think myself very happy, if I can but deserve the name of a good compiler; and supply my readers with a tolerable history, who will not be over-solicitous to inquire what hand it comes from, provided they are but pleased with it."Having followed this example,—the compiler wishes he could say with equal effect,—he will be fully satisfied, should judicious readers feel inclined to concede, that he has shown some judgment in selecting his materials, and some taste in binding "the beads of the chain," that connects them together. He disclaims, in fact, (as, in the present instance, he is bound to do), all the "divine honours" of authorship; satisfied with those of a selecter, adapter, and compiler; and happy in the hope that he has here, by means of the superior writers, whose labours he has used, furnished his readers with an useful, accurate, and amusing work.? ? ? ? ? C. B.

Alessandro di Mariano di Vanni Filipepi, better known as Sandro Botticelli ( 1445 – 1510), was an Italian painter of the Early Renaissance. He belonged to the Florentine school under the patronage of Lorenzo de' Medici, a movement that Giorgio Vasari would characterize less than a hundred years later as a "golden age", a thought, suitably enough, he expressed at the head of his Vita of Botticelli. Botticelli's posthumous reputation suffered until the late 19th century; since then his work has been seen to represent the linear grace of Early Renaissance painting. Among his best known works are The Birth of Venus and Primavera. In 1481, Pope Sixtus IV summoned Botticelli and other prominent Florentine and Umbrian artists to fresco the walls of the Sistine Chapel. The iconological program was the supremacy of the Papacy. Sandro's contribution included the Temptations of Christ, the Punishment of the Rebels and Trial of Moses. He returned to Florence, and "being of a sophistical turn of mind, he there wrote a commentary on a portion of Dante and illustrated the Inferno which he printed, spending much time over it, and this abstention from work led to serious disorders in his living." Thus Vasari characterized the first printed Dante (1481) with Botticelli's decorations; he could not imagine that the new art of printing might occupy an artist. The masterpieces Primavera (c. 1482) and The Birth of Venus (c. 1485) were both seen by Vasari at the villa of Lorenzo di Pierfrancesco de' Medici at Castello in the mid-16th century, and until recently, it was assumed that both works were painted specifically for the villa. Recent scholarship suggests otherwise: the Primavera was painted for Lorenzo's townhouse in Florence, and The Birth of Venus was commissioned by someone else for a different site. By 1499, both had been installed at Castello. In these works, the influence of Gothic realism is tempered by Botticelli's study of the antique. But if the painterly means may be understood, the subjects themselves remain fascinating for their ambiguity. The complex meanings of these paintings continue to receive widespread scholarly attention, mainly focusing on the poetry and philosophy of humanists who were the artist's contemporaries. The works do not illustrate particular texts; rather, each relies upon several texts for its significance. Of their beauty, characterized by Vasari as exemplifying "grace" and by John Ruskin as possessing linear rhythm, there can be no doubt. In the mid-1480s, Botticelli worked on a major fresco cycle with Perugino, Domenico Ghirlandaio and Filippino Lippi, for Lorenzo the Magnificent's villa near Volterra; in addition he painted many frescoes in Florentine churches. In 1491 he served on a committee to decide upon a fa?ade for the Cathedral of Florence.

In issuing this second treatise on Crayon Portraiture, Liquid Water Colors and French Crystals, for the use of photographers and amateur artists, I do so with the hope and assurance that all the requirements in the way of instruction for making crayon portraits on photographic enlargements and for finishing photographs in color will be fully met. To these I have added complete instructions for free-hand crayons. This book embodies the results of a studio experience of twenty-four years spent in practical work, in teaching, and in overcoming the everyday difficulties encountered, not alone in my own work, but in that of my pupils as well. Hence the book has been prepared with special reference to the needs of the student. It presents a brief course of precepts, and requires on the part of the pupil only perseverance in order that he may achieve excellence. The mechanical principles are few, and have been laid down in a few words; and, as nearly all students have felt, in the earlier period of their art work, the necessity of some general rules to guide them in the composition and arrangement of color, I have given, without entering into any profound discussion of the subject, a few of its practical precepts, which, it is hoped, will prove helpful. While this book does not treat of art in a very broad way, yet I am convinced that those who follow its teachings will, through the work they accomplish, be soon led to a higher appreciation of art. Although this kind of work does not create, yet who will say that it will not have accomplished much if it shall prove to be the first step that shall lead some student to devote his or her life to the sacred calling of art? It has been said that artists rarely, if ever, write on art, because they have the impression that the public is too ill-informed to understand them—that is, to understand their ordinarily somewhat technical method of expression. If, therefore, in the following pages I may sometimes seem to take more space and time for an explanation than appears necessary, I hope the student will overlook it, as I seek to be thoroughly understood. My hope with reference to this work is that it may prove of actual value to the earnest student in helping him reach the excellence which is the common aim of all true artists. ? ?J. A. Barhydt. About Author: To many who know nothing about the art of crayon portraiture, the mastery of it not only seems very difficult, but almost unattainable. In fact, any work of art of whatever description, which in its execution is beyond the knowledge or comprehension of the spectator, is to him a thing of almost supernatural character. Of course, this is more decided when the subject portrayed carries our thoughts beyond the realms of visible things. But the making of crayon portraits is not within the reach alone of the trained artist who follows it as a profession. I claim that any one who can learn to write can learn to draw, and that any one who can learn to draw can learn to make crayon portraits. Making them over a photograph, that is, an enlargement, is a comparatively simple matter, as it does not require as much knowledge of drawing as do free-hand crayons. But you must not suppose that, because the photographic enlargement gives you the drawing in line and an indistinct impression of the form in light and shade, you are not required to draw at all in making a crayon portrait over such an enlargement. Some knowledge of drawing is necessary, though not a perfect knowledge. Many people err in supposing that only the exceptionally skilled can produce the human features in life-like form upon the crayon paper. While recognizing great differences in natural aptitude for drawing in different persons, just as those who use the pen differ widely in their skill, some being able to write with almost mechanical perfection of form, I still hold that any one who is able to draw at all can succeed in producing creditable crayons.. J. A. Barhydt.

Over a small bridge on an island in the middle of the Thames, a great 60s club played host to acts that would later make a global name for themselves, including the Rolling Stones, Long John Baldry, Rod Stewart, the Small Faces, the Yardbirds and David Bowie. Jazz greats such as Cyril Davies, Ken Colyer and Acker Bilk also played at the legendary Eel Pie Hotel during its 50s and 60s heyday. This collection of essays traces ‘Eelpiland’s’ long-overlooked contribution to the British music scene.

Little more than ten years ago drones were barely used, but now more than 50 countries have them in service and they are not only changing how wars are fought but how crops are sprayed, how underwater pipelines are monitored and even how sports events are filmed. If it’s too risky to send a manned aircraft to survey the intensity of a hurricane or a combat zone, or too costly for conservation wardens to chart the movement of wildlife, drones can be used. Used for reconnaissance work and mapping as well as launching missiles, drones can fly autonomously or be controlled by remote control. Peering into a volcano about to erupt, checking how fast a forest fire is spreading, exploring the wreck of a sunken ship, charting your enemy’s position and taking out a military target—these are just some of the uses of drones today. From drones the size of a fingertip to drones that can carry soldiers, from single rotorcraft to multi-rotorcraft to propeller craft drones, Drones expertly examines these complex vehicles, which are not only very different from manned aircraft, but also very different from each other. Illustrated with more than 220 colour photographs and artworks, Drones is an exciting, accessibly written work about the latest in military and civilian aviation technology.

The best collection of suffrage plays on offer. Introduced and set in historical context by Dr Susan Croft, formerly Curator at the Theatre Museum in London, with a chronology of suffrage drama from 1907-1914.? The astonishing women involved in the Actresses Franchise League set up their own theatre companies and engaged with the battle for the vote by writing and performing campaigning plays all over the country. They launched themselves onto the political stage with their satirical plays, sketches and monologues whilst at the same time challenging the staid conventions of the Edwardian Theatre of the day. The legacy of their inspiring work to change both theatre and society has survived in the political theatre, agit-prop and verbatim theatre we know today.? Full playtexts from the following: ’How the Vote was Won’ by Cicely Hamilton and Chris St. John ’The Apple’ by Inez Bensusan ’Jim s Leg’ by L.S. Phibbs ’Votes for Women’ by Elizabeth Robins ’At the Gates’ by Alice Chapin ’In the Workhouse’ by Margaret Wynne Nevinson ’A Change of Tenant’ by Helen Margaret Nightingale.

Macho men or metrosexual guys? Mummy’s boys or blokes under their missus’ thumbs? Self-made entrepreneurs, pukka professionals and successful executives with their Mercedes Benz lives and designer-clad wives; husbands, sons, uncles, brothers and fathers – these successful, soulful and spirited Asian men have come a long way from their origins but they’ve all got roots! The Trouble with Asian Men is a vital, tender and hilarious insight into lives that surround us every day. From the award-winning theatre company that brought us East is East, a revealing verbatim comedy that has played to sell-out houses internationally.

London 1970: Experimental psychiatrist R.D. Laing is facing eviction from his pioneering asylum in the East End’s Kingsley Hall. Local residents are up in arms – and to make matters worse, Ronnie’s revolutionary colleague David Cooper is flipping out on the roof… With his personal life going down the pan and his mental state heading the same way, Ronnie takes an acid trip to the future. His mission is to save his therapeutic collective The Philadelphia Association and secure his professional legacy. Will it be a one-way ticket to madness – or can breakdown sometimes mean breakthrough?

In any military operation throughout history, few 24-hour periods have been as crucial as that of 6th June 1944. With the aid of specially commissioned maps, D-Day: The First 24 Hours series gives the dramatic history of the first 24 hours of the Normandy landings, and explains in detail the events that occurred in each landing zone. In this third volume of the series, the book describes the American landings on Omaha and Utah beaches. The fighting on Omaha was some of the most desperate fighting took place, but the beach was eventually secured. The book also includes the famous operation by the US Rangers to capture the gun position at Pointe du Hoc, successfully scaling a sheer cliff face in the teeth of the defenders' fire. With colour and black & white photographs, the book is a guide to key events in the first 24 hours of the D-Day landings that saw the Allies successfully achieve a foothold in Northern Europe.

From beautiful adaptations of classics to exciting new writing, Duffield is a master of storytelling. Commissioned by theatres and community groups in the UK, these plays offer strong roles for both men and women, as well as the opportunity for song and dance. They will appeal to schools and youth theatres as well as both amateur and professional performers. Using a mixture of storytelling, theatre and song, BROTHERS IN ARMS draws on the true story of two brothers from a Yorkshire pit village – one of whom steadfastly refused to fight in World War I, while the other volunteered and served on the front line in France. Cast 8 minimum. Adapted from Hugo’s novel, THE HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME is ‘remarkably faithful to the author’s original intention… a faultless production.’ – THE MORNING STAR Cast 8 minimum. WITH ALL MY LOVE is a tale of conspiracy and betrayal, of family feuds and deep-held secrets, of a woman’s struggle to keep faith with a husband transported to the other side of the world. Suitable for large cast productions, aimed at a general audience.

When Mina’s father dies, she returns to Korea to visit a family she barely knows, desperately looking for some answers. But her mother is reluctant to discuss the past, especially the war, or the reasons that Mina was sent so far away as a child, to America. Her younger sister seems unable to grow up and it doesn’t help that their nosy neighbour is always on their doorstep. Secrets and lies divide them all irrevocably. When the truth is finally revealed, it is both shocking and redemptive, allowing Mina and those around her to see themselves anew and break free from years of pain and guilt.